Album Reviews

The Sword is an often overlooked band when it comes to the retro revival that’s going on. Sweden has taken the lead with bands like Graveyard and Witchcraft but the warm Austin sun has fried these guys’ brains just enough to come up with a cooky concoction all their own. After having released a concept album based on a sci-fi story by guitarist/vocalist J.D. Cronise, they are at it again with “Apocryphon”.

As on all their previous albums, these guys sound like Black Sabbath and Thin Lizzy with their mix of doom, stoner and hard rock. And rock hard is exactly what they do once again… riffs swirl all over the place and are held in place by a very tight rhythm section while Cronise is going on about something fantasy-related with a voice that’s easy enough on the ears.

The songs on “Apocryphon” are more than good enough however to not just write these Texans off as a tribute band. With songs like opener “Veil Of Isis” and “The Hidden Masters” they’re not merely paying their respect, they’re writing songs that are simply put, good.